The Nonnewaug field hockey team has won the Berkshire League title the last four years.

Guess who Lewis Mills opened with this season?

It was, naturally, Nonnewaug, and Lewis Mills started the season off right with a 1-0 victory. Four games later, the Spartans had to travel to Thomaston, another team Lewis Mills has struggled to beat lately. In fact, Lewis Mills hadn't won at Thomaston's field in the last seven years.

But this time, the Spartans prevailed, with another 1-0 win.

Lewis Mills is 7-0 and ranked eighth in this week's state coaches field hockey poll.

"We have 11 starters and each of those positions is well-staffed," Lewis Mills coach Maggie Tieman said. "We have no holes this year. They're a close-knit group of kids. All the intangibles are there."

Tieman said she has not seen a Lewis Mills team like this one since 2005, when the Spartans won the Class C state title.

It will be tough to beat Darien, ranked No. 2 in the poll, in Class L, and No. 1 Wilton in Class M, and right now, they are the favorites to win again. But Class S is still a toss-up. Defending champion Stonington and last year's runner-up and perennial champ Granby also are unbeaten. Westbrook, Haddam-Killingworth and North Branford are playing well in the Shoreline Conference.

And Lewis Mills is certainly in the mix among the contenders. The Spartans lost in the first round to Haddam-Killingworth on penalty strokes last year, 1-0. But this team has improved from last year, when the Spartans finished 10-6-1.

Tieman credits the core of four senior captains — midfielder Sadie Robinson, center forward Ally Jackson, midfielder Kelly Winterbottom and center back Andie Stone — as being the leading force behind the team's success. Jackson and Robinson are the leading scorers. Kelly is Sarah Winterbottom's sister; Sarah played on the 2005 state championship team, which tied with Haddam-Killingworth 1-1 for the title.

Cruising Along

Glastonbury and Simsbury are cruising, too. The Tomahawks, 6-0 and ranked fifth in the poll, have yet to allow a goal this season, outscoring their opponents 32-0. CCC West foe Simsbury, also unbeaten at 7-0 and ranked fourth in the poll, has outscored its opponents 43-0. The two teams will not meet until Oct. 28 at Glastonbury. … Cheshire lost for the second time this season to new SCC opponent Lauralton Hall on Monday, 2-1, but this time, the game went to overtime. The two teams faced each other Sept. 12 and Cheshire lost 2-0.